Cartels Hold Tight Grip on Migrant Transit in Mexico's Southern Border

Migrants entering Mexico from Guatemala face cartel control and extortion. Migrant encounters near the US border have dropped, yet cartels maintain control, demanding payments for passage. Many are held in degrading conditions. Cartels' influence complicates humanitarian efforts, raising concerns as migration remains a political hot topic.

Migrants crossing into Mexico from Guatemala face a perilous journey, where cartels exert control over their movements. Despite a four-year low in encounters at the US-Mexico border, the ongoing influx of migrants into Mexico ahead of the US election keeps immigration a significant issue.

Contributing to this dangerous pilgrimage, organized crime groups, particularly the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels, enforce stringent control over who moves northward. The migrants are often kidnapped, and those who pay a USD 100 ransom are marked and released, highlighting the cartels' dominance over federal agents.

The testing conditions and rampant crime add hurdles to humanitarian aid, as authorities struggle to address the violence. The control of smuggling routes for people, drugs, and weapons is essential for cartels, making the plight of migrants a lucrative plus daunting challenge.

(With inputs from agencies.)